Wings of A Butterfly
by Moonlight Shining
Summary: Sad moments, happy moments, Watanuki and Yuuko's fragments of existence, fleeting like a butterfly's life, like its wings.
1. Protection & Flirting

**_Protection_**

Watanuki Kimihiro let his eyes wander dreamily on the other passengers, looking at them without seeing them. His employer, Ichihara Yuuko, and himself were sitting on the train back from Ginza after one of their bizarre expeditions. He still hadn't understood why she had thought it necessary to bring **him **along but now, as a result, he couldn't help but ponder the events of the afternoon- That woman who was addicted to the internet... Yuuko had literally smashed her computer into halves. The result: Two neat pieces and a compensation just as strange as the service provided.

_I hope that lady is going to be all right. When it comes to clients, Yuuko is always so… cynical._

He suppressed a shiver... and suddenly frowned.

_**What on earth**__ is that one doing?_ _Is he staring at Yuuko?_

Stealthily, he threw a side-glance at the man. Damn it. He was getting quite the eyeful. It wasn't even discreet. He bristled. He would have wanted to do something- wrap his jacket around her shoulders for instance, or spread it over her belly, conjure up something out of thin air to hide that blatant display of skin. Really, it was too much. Inclining his head toward hers, he whispered in her ear.

"Yuuko-san… That man over there, he has been doing nothing but ogling you for the last quarter of an hour!"

"You're one to talk about staring, my dear Watanuki…"

"WHAT?"

_How did she…?_

She chuckled.

"Relax, pervert. I was only referring to your dragging around that bat and chair. **You** are bound to **get** **stared at**."

His gaze shot back to the man. He happened to be conveniently looking out of the window. Just his luck…

"See… She said.

_He only looked away because you couldn't keep your voice down. _

"He was only stealing a peek at our brand new baby chair!" She chirruped loudly.

Several people were now eyeing them insistently.

_Great. Now everyone is gonna think we're some kind of ill-matched couple._

He shifted around to try and turn away from Yuuko but bumped into the slender arm resting on the back of his seat. She smiled and squeezed his shoulder, just a little harder than necessary. He grumbled but said nothing.

_So much for trying to protect her… _

* * *

><p><em><strong>Flirting<strong>_

She irritates him. Intensively. There are no words to describe it. The way she carries herself, the way she flaunts her body in clothes which reveal much more than they hide…

She smiles, she coos, she bats her lashes if need be.

She flirts. Anywhere and with anyone. It's what annoys him the most. Hell, she would try and charm his grandmother if she was given the occasion. (That would be if he had had one, of course). She flirts with her clients. Always young and pretty women who are all too defenseless to react when she deliberately invades their personal space.

She even flirts with Doumeki. Of all people. _Doumeki-kun, what a man you are! _

It makes him twitch when she does it.

But worst of all, she dares flirt with **Himawari**. His Himawari-chan. Long, spindly fingers stroke over soft skin. It's too much. It's the umpteenth time she does it and he snaps, rushing over and using his body as a barrier between the pure maiden and the evil sorceress. She gives him a flick on the head. "Jealous, aren't we…" She taunts.

Yes, he is. And he is still grumbling at her on the way back home. And how dares she try and corrupt such purity with her depraved ways?

"Don't worry, I have no intention of stealing her from you." She concedes.

He is still not satisfied.

"It's not that… It's… You…" He can't find the words to express it. "I don't want you to do this." He says defiantly. "Not with Himawari-chan!"

"You are so possessive, my little Watanuki. But this is fine. From now on, you'll be the one and only center of… **my** attentions."

"WHAT?" He screams. She has got it all wrong! No, she is **pretending** to get it wrong he realizes a second later with utmost annoyance. But then she is too close and she orders him not to yell in her ears and the protests die in his throat. Her warm breath caresses his lips and like usual, the blush rises to his cheeks.

She flirts. It's what annoys him the most. But somehow, someway, it always feels almost satisfactory. The way her cool, smooth fingers glide over **his** skin, the way those red eyes stare deep into his, so deep he could drown into them.


	2. Consolation

**_Consolation_**

**_Part One- To Cry_**

Watanuki admittedly wept a little on the long walk to Yuuko's shop that day. Himawari-chan… He couldn't believe what he had done. What had got into him? He had been such a fool, confessing his feelings like that, out of the blue. It wasn't even like him to do something so reckless. All this time spent together, trying to win her over, reduced to nothing. He had screwed up magnificently.

He was greeted by Maru and Moro as soon as he crossed the threshold.

"Good afternoon, Watanuki."

"The Mistress is not here."

"Not here…"

Good thing. The last thing he needed right now was Yuuko's ruthless teasing. She would have immediately seen something was wrong, and she would have rubbed salt in the wound. That was what she would have done.

"She said that you must have dinner ready when she comes back tonight!"

He brushed past the two girls without answering, heading straight for the guest room that had become his over time.

"Oh. Watanuki doesn't look well."

" Doesn't look well."

He slid the door shut behind him. He slumped on the floor, holding his head in his hands. He heard the tapering of feet on the wooden floor and then Maru's voice on the other side of the wall.

"Maru, Moro, can do anything?"

He swallowed back his tears. "Go away, girls. Just please go."

"HELLO, Watanuukiii!" A black ball of fur jumped out of nowhere and landed on his shoulder. Though he felt angry, he also felt too depressed to get mad.

"What's with the glum face, Watanuki-born-April 1st?"

"It's just… Well… Himawari-chan…...WHY don't you leave me alone?"

"You can talk to Mokona if you'd like to…"

He looked into the face of the small creature. It was serious.

"You? What would some weird little thing like you know about love?"

Both of its longs ears twitched and it looked a bit hurt.

"Mokona may be a Mokona" It said sulkily "but Mokona still knows what Mokona feels when Soel is not with Mokona."

"S-Soel?"

"Soel is the same as Mokona but is white. Soel has always lived with Mokona for as long as Mokona remembers… But for now, it is on a mission… Luckily, Mokona can still see Soel in dreams!" It smiled a little, bravely, but Watanuki could feel its sadness. For once, he could feel empathy for his plushy little companion.

"Say, Watanuki. Are you sad because of Himawari-chan? It is alright to cry. Mokona has often seen Yuuko cry because of _him_."

"Yuuko-san… cried…"

It seemed like a strange thing for someone like her to do. It made him feel inexplicably sad. He, who was always so prompt to state that she didn't have a heart, was now facing open admission of her vulnerability.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Part Two- Dessert<em>**

"I… Who is that man? Do I know him? Are him and Yuuko-san…?"

"Clow Reed."

"Yuuko-san!"

Why she had come home so soon, how she had got into the room so quietly, he didn't know. But she was there, and gazing at him with a look he had never seen on her face before. A sad, wistful look. Actually, she wasn't looking at him, but at some point near his shoulder.

"Yuuko-san…" He began.

"Why isn't dinner ready? I'm starving!" She interrupted loudly.

In the blink of an eye, all concerns were gone. About his broken heart, about her broken heart… It surely wouldn't last long but for now he had something to take care of, and an annoying Yuuko to deal with.

"It's too early to have dinner!"

"Who said that? I say this is just the right time for eating! Hurry up, Watanuki, I'm hungry!"

_Clow Reed… _He thought a little later, while chopping mushrooms. _The mysterious man who made Yuuko cry. Had she loved him the way he loved Himawari? Had he also… turned her down? _He couldn't imagine it. Mind buzzing with questions, he bustled about the kitchen. He did his very best that night, running around and serving her without complaining, for once. He even went as far as to bake her favorite dessert- chocolate fondant. (The secret information was a courtesy of Mokona, as he told her smilingly). She whined a little because of the time it took but congratulated him warmly. Strangely, he could have sworn he caught another glimpse of that indefinable look in her eyes as she took her first bite.

What was he trying to prove? To her, that he cared about her despite everything. To himself, that he could make her happy. Everything is an exchange, she always said, and indeed, he got to see her smile fondly at him and run a hand through his hair. She appreciated the gesture for what it was, a token of his feelings, an attempt at comforting her, and himself.


	3. Tickles

**_Tickles_**

He didn't know what fuelled it. It had all started out quite innocently. The moment Watanuki had set foot in the room, Maru and Moro had thrown themselves at him, causing him to fall inelegantly. He had had a hard time getting rid of them, laughing like a maniac and gesticulating wildly. He didn't know what wind of madness had swept over the house while he had been gone, but he wasn't sure he liked that new game. He got to his feet, just in time for something furry to jump on his face.  
>"Get off me!"<p>

"Super-Mokona-tickle-combo!" It squealed and suddenly **sneaked **into Watanuki's shirt.

"ARE YOU INSANE?"

It tickled all right, but it was, more than anything, terribly embarrassing. How could they all disrespect his private space like that? Maru, Moro, the Pipe Fox, Mokona…

With a swift gesture, he grabbed the black bunny by one of his paws and tugged.

"Aha. Not so cocky now, eh?"

He turned to the two girls that were now busy ferociously tickling each other.

"Hey look, what I have for you! Another victim!" He said triumphantly and dropped Mokona into their hands. They grinned and soon enough the whole place was resonating with Mokona's nervous giggles.

Half-smiling in relief, he turned to the last occupant of the room. Ichihara Yuuko was sprawled out on the sofa. Unusually quiet, she was watching the struggle opposing Mokona to Maru and Moro, without as much as batting an eyelash.

"Good day to you, Yuuko-san. Could you tell me what has come over them? Is this your idea of a funny joke?"

She smirked and suddenly he lost his balance. **The three of them had pounced at him from behind.** He yelled and for the second time in five minutes landed flat on his stomach, half on the floor, half on the sofa, and partly on Yuuko herself. It was a total mess, a pile of people with arms and legs sticking out from everywhere, and three of those people were trying to tickle another to death. Yuuko was unfairly spared by the bunch of loonies, but poor Watanuki was simply feeling on the brink of asphyxia.

"Would you stop it?"

"Oh, come on, Watanuki-April-Fool!"

"FINE. You've had it coming!"

He threw himself in the battle with all his heart, sending Mokona fly away in his new-found enthusiasm. He needed to let it out, he would show them!

He didn't know what weird impulse got him. Maybe it was because they were having a good -albeit crazy- time, maybe it was because he saw her laugh so heartedly, a sincere laugh, one of those laughs you can only get while you're having shameless, crazy, childish fun. In any case, something came over him and that something made his hands move on their own free will. Her laugh died in her throat as his fingers came in contact with her body.

The two girls over him suddenly froze. He gulped. She stared at him.

"Are you challenging me?" She asked, menacingly.

"Huh? I…"

But it was no use thinking of a reply. As graceful and fast as a cat, she had leapt out of the sofa, and the next second she was on him, and he felt like the mouse.

"Watanuki challenge! Watanuki challenge!" Maru and Moro sang, and then it was like being sucked in a tornado. It was quite unjust because he fell victim to a conspiracy. They were all hampering his movements with Yuuko having nothing else to do but tickle him mercilessly.

"You don't have a right… to use… your henchmen on me!" He gasped breathlessly, between two waves of attacks.

She snapped her fingers.

"Maru, Moro, Mokona. Let our friend go. I want this to be a fair fight."

Two pairs of determined eyes met, blue and red. This would be a death struggle.

"It's just you and me now, Watanuki Kimihiro!"

In the end, she still had him lying on the floor, with both arms pined over his head, straddling him.

"Ready to admit your unconditional defeat?" She smirked. He huffed and puffed, she was heavy and he was uncomfortably warm from all the squirming he had done.

However, there was also **something else**. Yuuko was astride him, her long hair falling over him like a veil, her face close to his. Her warm thighs were wrapped tightly around his waist and her chest was pressed against him, while both her hands were grasping his forearms. Never had they been this close before. He flushed deeply.

"Surrender yourself to the Great Ichihara Yuuko!" She ordered.

To onlookers it must have looked as though they were… Speaking of onlookers, he couldn't remember seeing Maru, Moro and Mokona leave the room, but he was definitely alone with the witch.

"Nobody will come at your rescue. "She grinned. "You are utterly and helplessly in my grasp."

He didn't know what fuelled it… Maybe it was her remarks about his being at her mercy, maybe it was the troubling way in which their bodies were entangled...


	4. Interference

**A.N: 1) Warning: SPOILERS regarding the Himawari arc and Watanuki's past.**

**2) I tried to respect the global plot line to give this credibility, but no doubt it contradicts the story in some aspects… So it's better if you take this as slightly AU. (That said, you can point out discrepancies if you like, I'm interested.)**

**3) I regret having to say this but I find no comfort in people quietly adding this story to their favorite list. If you like it so much, maybe you should leave an opinion, a remark, a suggestion, a piece of advice, a question, ****a rotten tomato****… etc. And not leave me crying alone in a corner amid the silence ;)**

**And I'm ever grateful to 'nitpickernose', of course!**

* * *

><p><strong>Interference<strong>

Holding the wet cloth in between trembling fingers, Yuuko gently wiped some sweat off his forehead. That boy. How many times had she cured him, nursed him through painful recoveries? How many times had she witnessed him rush headlong into dangerous situations without being able to protect him? Unquestionably, that time had been the worst of all.

It broke her heart to see him like this, so severely hurt, covered in bandages from head to foot and nearly as pale as the sheets beneath him. He was delirious from temperature and among his meaningless raving, she picked out the girl's name. He, who was given the power to see all evil. How could he not have seen Himawari for what she really was? He was finally realizing now, and though it meant nothing good for their relationship, it might well be the key to their individual happiness.

He moaned in his sleep and she edged closer. Ignoring the protest of her aching muscles, she slipped an arm under his shoulders and lifted him slightly, her other hand coming and resting on the back of his nape. Her chilly palm slid up and down his burning skin, from between his shoulder blades to the root of his hair, dispensing soothing freshness in its leave. It was all she could do to keep his brain from literally frying.

His lashes twitched and he suddenly stared at her, with wide, fever-bright eyes.

"Yuuko-san…" He murmured, and shifted in the bed, closer and closer, until he was leaning against her, grabbing her clothing as if to keep her from leaving. She hissed in pain, but didn't pull back. He needed her by his side.

Ignoring the nagging soreness of her body, she laid him back down onto the mattress and proceeded with her healing spells, hands hovering in a mysterious dance over his bandaged chest, fingers skimming precise areas. Finally, she cupped his face in both hands, letting the power flow through her and into him. Cautiously- She didn't have the stamina for more…

Vertigo nevertheless struck her brutally and she sank forward. The ghost of a moment, her forehead rested against the boy's shoulder, the fingers of his unharmed hand tightening even more around the fabric of her wide sleeve. Methodically, she unclenched each of them, and used the last of her strength to pull herself back up. She winced and collapsed in the nearby chair more than she sat. At the moment, Yuuko could have sworn that every inch of her unbroken skin was nothing but a ravaged, bloody mess. She could feel the bite of thousands of imaginary glass shards, a rain of daggers, pointed, deadly… Naturally, there wasn't a single droplet of red, not a single tear on her pale arms, but then again, why should there be?

The numbness in the pinkie of her right hand was actually what worried her the most. Unlike Watanuki, she was still able to feel it and move it. But there was no mistaking- the magic had deserted that tiny area forever. It wasn't much of a problem in itself, but it filled her with fear. For this normal-looking finger was the symbol of her mutilated powers.

As the Dimensional Witch, she could never afford to go against hitsuzen, and certainly not against the very rules that governed her so called existence. _She had no right to interfere._

Yet she had, and now she would have to pay the price. Those who make a wish always have to give something equal in return- Himawari's skin would be engraved with scars forever, Doumeki's bloody tribute nearly cost him his life. And Yuuko…

White-hot pain was pulsing through the woman's veins, radiating from her heart into her whole body. Her blood had seemingly turned to venom. When he would wake up, she would be better, but for now she had to wait. Because from now on and until the very end of her existence, she was condemned to share each of the boy's sufferings, to endure it in her own flesh.

Haruka had stopped Watanuki at the edge of the kingdom of the dead, but Yuuko- She had done much more than that. She had yanked the link tying him to the living. She had let her voice reach him, through layers of dreams and dimensions, far past where humans where supposed to go. She had brought him back… against his own will. It had been like a nightmare come true. Doumeki's sacrifice, Himawari's sacrifice, Haruka's help, she had found out, weren't enough to save him. Only because, deep inside, Watanuki had no desire to be saved. And although his friends' wishes had managed to neutralize the lethal physical injuries, his mind wanted him to stay in the shadows, forever.

The agony he had felt at the moment, combined with the sorrow he had been feeling for all of his young life, had driven the subconsciously suicidal Watanuki out of his senses. He had _wished_ to die, and he had beckoned approaching death with open arms.

But Yuuko would never have resigned herself to bring back a corpse, or an empty, soulless shell. She had vowed to take him back to the surface- something he didn't want. She had fought to preserve his sanity- something he hadn't asked for. She had _wished_ to take away the intolerable hurt. Eventually, she had bound his destiny to hers even more tightly, uniting them in a bond of suffering.

Nonetheless, there were rules that mustn't be broken, and the pact was without concession- _Under no circumstance am I allowed to use magic in order to grant my own wishes… Likewise I am forbidden to go against the expressed will of a client… I can never do anything for free…_

For the first time, she had almost shattered those most basic rules. The consequences had proved to be nearly fatal. For once, she had been scared. She had hovered on the brink of disappearance because of him, before having served the purpose she was to serve. The slightest misjudgment on her part would have meant the end of everything, the end of the plan she was to carry out, the end of Syaoran and Sakura…

She had challenged hitsuzen, stretching the laws beyond belief. She had granted the _wish_, not as her own, but as the unspoken one of the people who loved Watanuki. Doumeki and Himawari didn't have the endurance to take more than what they were already taking, but they would have done anything in their power to save him. From the bottom of their heart, they wished for him to be saved, entirely, not only his body _but also_ his soul.

_Granting an unformulated wish was a hard __**stretch**__ of the rule…_

As for Watanuki's desperate screams and resistance, she had countered them wordlessly, delving in his heart to force out memories and drench him into awareness of the people who cared for him and whom he cared for.

_Himawari… Doumeki… Haruka _and above all, _Kohane._ The child who meant the world to him.

He would never remember the desperate way he had fought Yuuko, only the terrible yearning of death that had possessed him while he was in the limbo. In the end, she had succeeded in shaking him, just enough for him to give in to her.

_Influencing him into taking her offered hand was another hard __**stretch**__ of the rule…_

As for the price… Usually, when the compensation accidentally turned out inadequate for the service provided- either too weak or too strong- the provider, the _shop owner_, would come to harm. In this case, however, she had willingly denied herself compensation, because in her knowledge, no human being would be able to survive what was needed to save Watanuki's soul. The witch had thought of summoning Zashiki-Warashi, whose divinity shielded partially, but that would have been counting without the Karasu Tengu and Ame-warashi. That had left her with one last option. Abstain from exerting compensation altogether.

_But leaving the exchange unbalanced came as close to a **breach** of rules as could be…_

All-consuming, raging, inhuman pain… Part of her magic damaged beyond repair… The weight of the wish, the price of _interference_ would be borne… by the witch herself. Shivering uncontrollably, she pulled the fabric of her kimono tighter around her treacherously intact body. Hitsuzen was sometimes so cruel…


	5. Home

_**Home**_

Like every other night, they are kneeling on the floor beside each another, sipping their evening tea before Watanuki is due to leave. Today the atmosphere is remarkably calm. On the low table between them, Mokona is snoring, nestled between the bottle of sake and the tea pot. The room is dark and the TV is on, but its soft humming virtually doesn't reach the boy's ears. He has neither a glance, nor a thought to spare for whatever is playing on the screen.

Instead Watanuki prefers to watch Yuuko. He has only noticed just recently, but when the witch isn't busy dealing with a client, or lecturing him, or torturing him with her inane requests, when she hasn't drunk more than reasonable, then- he admits- she can be pleasant enough.

Like sunrays on a cloudy day, those peaceful moments are so rare it is only natural that he would relish them. He is observing her dimly-lit profile. Under the dancing, bluish glimmer, half of her face remains in the shadows, but it doesn't keep him from attempting to read her expression. She seems like she is vaguely interested in the national news, but as far as he is concerned, this might be just a façade. His gaze trails down the smooth black locks that frame her pale face, along the curve of her red lips, but more than anything, he is mesmerized by the reddish glow of her eye. Her eyes are unreadable mirrors, dull and sharp all at once, both sad and unblinking. They have a strange effect on him. Just like her entire being, they are a mystery…

"If you keep staring at me like that, you're going to make me blush."

Her voice is barely above a whisper and it takes some time for his brain to register that she has just spoken. When it does however, and she turns her head to look at him without the slightest hint of pink on her cheeks, he is the one who goes crimson.

"S-sorry." He sputters and hangs his head sheepishly.

"I'd like some more tea, please." She says and he hurries to serve her, glad to have an excuse to drop the topic of his staring. Along the months he has spent at Yuuko's service, he has been getting his fair share of provocative remarks on the subject, although he likes to think they were undeserved. Indeed, he has quickly learnt to avert his gaze from her womanly… attributes, sticking to the safety zone of her porcelain face instead. Maybe not entirely tonight, though, he concedes inwardly as the warm, brownish-red liquid cascades down and into her cup. Brownish-red… Like her eyes.

"You will sleep here, tonight."

Upon hearing her words, he stiffens, causing a few drops of tea to spill on the wooden table.

"Yet again? What is it that you want me to do this time?" He grumbles.

"You should be more careful what you're doing." She warns as he hastily mops the small puddle with his apron. "Anyway, Watanuki. I think it's high time I make this proposal- Would you enjoy living here?"

"Living here… with you?"

"And Maru, and Moro, and Mokona." She adds, smilingly. "You practically do so, anyway. How long has it been since you last saw that little nest of yours?"

Three? Four? No, five days, he counts in his head, and shivers. Five days since he last set foot in his apartment. He has fallen victim to the routine just recently, he realizes. Attending his classes, walking to Yuuko's shop right after school, performing his multiple tasks and, invariably, ending up staying the night.

"Your home is here now." She says softly, and he stares at her with wide eyes. Home… He has never thought of anywhere as his home before, least of all the shop where he spends all of his time working. But it doesn't matter. Somehow, in that woman's mouth, the word sounds just right, as if he has always been waiting for her to utter it. And just like that, it turns into one of those magical moments, where he is just grateful that he has met her.

"Thank you, Yuuko-san."

"Of course that means you will have to work extra-hard to pay for that advantage."

This time it's the entire tea pot that slides from his grasp, knocking the table with a small thunk.

"I should have known there was some kind of demonic trap hiding behind this!"


	6. Lovesickness

_**Lovesickness**_

_**Part One- To Feel**_

"The child… He is in love with you." It said gently.

She froze in the middle of what she was doing, an earring dangling from between her pale fingers. Slowly, she turned around and Mokona could see that she was frowning. She seemed lost suddenly, its mighty friend, and it felt its heart clench as it looked deep into her sad eyes.

"I am well aware of that, Larg." She replied, but her broken voice was nothing like the quiet, confident music it was used to hearing. Her tone had a final quality to it that made it blatant that she didn't want the matter pursued any further.

It chose not to insist for the time being and just watched while she meticulously finished taking off her complicated outfit. To anyone who didn't know her as well as it did, she would have looked the perfect image of composure, but its sharp eye didn't miss the strain in her movements or the way her hands shook as she undid layers after layers of intricate hair ornaments.

As soon as she was done, she fled toward the bathroom, leaving the small creature sitting on its usual spot on the bedpost. She didn't invite it in for a swim, and she usually never failed to do so. She was trying to shut herself away, it realized, and she never did, unless she was feeling thoroughly miserable. It could hear the rumble of water running, keeping it from hearing any indications that she might be crying.

Sighing, it made to rejoin her, its little paws squeaking on the wooden floor. Experience had proven that it was no use leaving Yuuko to herself when she was in that state of mind. She would invariably return as unhappy as when she had gone, or possibly enough, worse. They had better talk it out, and the sooner, the better.

The witch was kneeling on the floor by the tub, her arms folded on the edge and her reddish gaze lost in crystal water that she didn't really see. She barely acknowledged Mokona when it entered the room and jumped up on her shoulder, settling itself in the hollow of her neck, right under her chin.

"Mokona…" She exhaled, but it was just as much of a sign of weariness as one of acceptance.

They remained silent all the while. Not a drop of alcohol was consumed, and she got out of the bath much sooner than she normally would have. Larg didn't bring up the topic of Watanuki's feelings before they were lying in bed together, the black mokona nestled right next to her head.

From the tense way she breathed, it knew that she was expecting it to talk, and it didn't want to keep her anxious.

"Yuuko…"

"What is it, Larg?"

"How do you feel about Watanuki?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Part Two- Look-alikes<strong>_

She had braced herself for what was to come. It nevertheless struck her mercilessly, like a blow to the stomach. She didn't want to discuss her feelings, she didn't even know what feelings they should talk about. That was not how things were supposed to turn out, that wasn't how _Yuuko_ had wanted things to unfold. It wasn't in her agenda to have Watanuki fall head over heels for her, and despite her powers, she hadn't seen it coming. Not before it was way, way too late.

"That boy has always shown a disastrous tendency to become infatuated with the wrong person, hasn't he?" She commented bitterly.

"His friend… He's in love with Watanuki…" The little one said.

"Indeed. I believe he is. But as usual, our Watanuki seems too thickheaded to see what is right under his very nose. I feel pity for Doumeki-kun."

They would have been a perfect match. The one who saw and attracted spirits and the one who repelled and exorcised them. Like two halves of the same whole…

Soon, it would be all over for Yuuko and she would be able to meet _Him_ again. She would disappear from a world she didn't belong to, and Doumeki would be all that Watanuki would have left… Yuuko had been hoping and praying for the boy to see the light, in vain. She still prayed and hoped to this day.

"I cannot love him." She asserted harshly. "I will bring him nothing but more suffering."

"But Yuuko… You do love him, don't you?"

Larg was pained and confused, she could it hear it in its voice and the question wasn't really one either. However, nothing could compare to the pain that she, herself, felt at the moment.

She refused to say it aloud. She couldn't bring herself to say it. She wouldn't.

_Oh, Clow, why did they make him to be so similar to you?_


	7. Dream

**A.N: Thanks to everybody who followed this story and thank you very much for leaving comments! I feel quite encouraged.**

**To 'Uboa': I had begun writing this before I got to read your review, but I guess this is sort of grant your wish ... I confess- stupid pun intended. ;)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Dream<strong>_

Like usual, his pulse is beating too fast. Like every time he falls asleep, he is consumed with the insane hope that he will finally be able to see _Her_ again. If only for a second…

She hasn't appeared in his dreams ever since the day he found out that he was free to wander out of the shop. Together with Haruka, they have discussed Yuuko's motivations for hours, without ever reaching a satisfying conclusion. At first, the man remained tactfully vague. Then, one day, he calmly began suggesting that the witch's silence was an answer in itself, the answer that Watanuki was desperately seeking but refused to acknowledge.

_Yuuko is probably happier where she is, happier than she used to be when she was trapped in the corridors of time…_

When he did so, Watanuki's anger invariably exploded, furious tears welling in his eyes. Many decades have slipped by him since, and he has long stopped weeping, but he will never stop hurting.

For Yuuko, all the time they spent together, all the precious moments they shared, are worth nothing. She abandoned him without a shadow of regret, never looking back, and she is perfectly content without him, while he can be nothing without her.

Haruka's arms wrap around him, soothingly, and he relaxes in his embrace, all the time wishing that this could someone else's arms surrounding him. At the very beginning, Watanuki was terribly ungrateful. He was even rude, so angry at the man for being here, instead of _Her_.

_You are dead, Haruka-san. Yet you are right in front of me, talking to me. So why can't She be?_

However, their relationship soon took a different turn. The priest's wisdom is priceless, seemingly unending. He never took offense in the boy's bitter, grief-inspired words. He is all empathy and compassion, he will always be there for Watanuki and the latter has come to love him for it. Unlike Doumeki, Haruka is always so- But it still hurts to think about Doumeki, Watanuki realizes with a pang, even when so much time has passed since his death…

He is half-expecting to meet Haruka tonight. Sliding the panel-door open, he comes out on the porch, instinctively searching for the familiar silhouette of the smoking man. But there is no one sitting there tonight.

"What am I doing here, all by myself?"

The shop-owner's mismatched eyes wander around the moonlit courtyard, careful for signs of a presence and suddenly catch the hint of a movement. His heart skips a beat.

"Yuuko-san?"

He can't believe it. He must be hallucinating. Is it really Yuuko, standing by the cherry tree, her long hair waving in the night breeze? He remains petrified, terrorized at the idea that the apparition might vanish before his very eyes, were he to budge an inch. Can it be? After so long…

Then the woman turns around and stares at him and he begins to run, run toward the distant kimono-clad figure. It isn't until he is a mere few feet from her that the spell takes effect. The invisible barrier he has already encountered twice rises between them, rooting him to the spot mercilessly. Only this time, his matured powers don't betray him. He knows why the ward is here and he knows _who _erected it.

"Why are _you_ doing this?" He cries helplessly.

Unlike the previous time, she isn't smiling. She looks weary and sad and nearly as desperate as he does.

"Watanuki…"

Upon hearing the sound of her voice, he begins to sob, squirming, fighting to keep on advancing.

"It is time that you let go." She says softly.

He freezes, raising his pain-contorted face to look at her.

"You are free. Don't let the whole of life pass you by… This is the last time you'll ever see me."

The words hurt, it hurts so badly. She is right there, barely out of reach and in a second, he will have to watch her disappear for the third time. He is about to lose her all over again, and he is powerless to prevent it. The sorrow is crushing his soul in an iron grip, but there is now also a new feeling that mounts in him. Arisen out of the years he has spent waiting for her in vain is rebellion. Sheer revolt against a miserable future that holds nothing but loneliness.

"No. Wait! Yuuko-san!"

He won't witness darkness devour her, he won't remain motionless while she dissolves into a cloud of butterflies. This time will be different. He can feel her surprise as the first blow shakes the wall. Her eyes widen and he stares back at her, fierceness radiating from his entire being.

"I've given up everything for your sake! I've let all my friends age and die, for you. There is no one waiting for me outside, there is no one but _you_. Weren't if for _that wish_, I would already be by your side. Please, don't leave me!"

She is still gazing at him, painful realization etched over her beautiful face. There are only two instances when he has seen her wear such an expression. The first time was when he swore he would grant her wish, the second time was when he confessed his love to her in the black limbos, at the dusk of her death.

_Why would a choice I didn't make decide anything about my dearest person?_

She looked shocked at the violence of his feelings back there, just like she does now. In a direct confrontation, he wouldn't stand a chance to defeat her, but he nevertheless keeps going relentlessly at the force field, channeling all of his magic in a blind effort. And he can see the doubt in her eyes, and the barrier is wavering, wavering, threatening to collapse at any moment.

"I love you!" He yells, pleading and defiant all at once.

The ward vanishes. He can hardly believe it when he feels the force binding him shatter. He is free to move. And she is standing less than a foot away. Like in a daze, he raises a shy hand and touches her shoulder, hesitantly. The fabric doesn't give way and she doesn't fall to dust. Instead, his fingers inadvertently brush against porcelain skin. He shivers.

"Yuuko-san…"

It seems only natural for the air around them to melt away. So close, so close… And if only he could merge into her, become her, turn them into one, nothing would ever be able to take her from him. He is frantic suddenly, trembling with pent-up longing, a dangerous storm that threatens to sweep away everything on its way.

She caresses his face tenderly, runs her fingers through his hair like she has done so many times before, and somehow, it is that little gesture that pushes him over the edge. He is aching for her and she fuels his desire, turning dormant ashes into a raging inferno.

He suddenly grasps her wrists and yanks her to him, kissing her face, her neck, tasting every inch of exposed skin. He is clumsy, he is eager and he doesn't control anything. He is only in the grip of a passion that is too strong for him to master. Yuuko's breath in his ear is driving him insane, the scent of her hair is engulfing his senses. When he feels the knot of her obi come loose, the fabric pooling beneath his fingers, he knows that whatever was left of his sanity has just deserted him. He is drowning and he is almost crying as he sinks into her, finally tasting the bitter fruit of a love that was never given a chance to blossom. She hugs him to her, roaming her fingers through his messy bangs, wrapping a leg around his waist, bringing him closer still. He is frenzied, unable to focus on anything but the sheer sensations, assuaging the unquenchable lust born out of absence.

Violent… implacable… selfish... monstrous lust…

He has gone crazy, he suddenly realizes as he stares at her in panic. Does she even want this? Or is she just enduring it like a martyr, granting him a compensation for the lost time?

_I've given up everything for your sake! I've watched all my friends die for you…_

The quasi-accusations he threw at her and her distraught expression. Could it have been a manifestation of guilt? Watanuki can't bring himself to meet Yuuko's eyes, suddenly. Fresh tears are threatening to spill out, and despite his best efforts, a single drop falls, drawing a wet streak on her left cheek. He thinks about how terribly sorry he is but the apology never comes out, for she is cupping his face in her hands, and her lips are warm against his skin as she kisses each tear away. And as their mouths meet, and their hips meet and he is whispering her name like a sinful prayer, he forgets all about the reality that is really his.

The dream is shaking as their bodies intertwine. The world is crumbling around him as waves after waves of pleasure crash over him, and as he cries out, his arms close around nothingness. He is lying alone in an empty bed. Outside, the birds are singing.


	8. Chocolate

**A.N: For a change this chapter is just a bit of harmless innocent (hehe) fun. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chocolate<strong>

_**Part One- Nosy**_

Watanuki threw himself into the entrance hall more than he walked in, sending his shoes flying in a most graceless gesture. Like he had feared, he was expected by an undesirable welcome committee.

Maru and Moro were kneeling on the wooden floor, their affectedly sweet expressions mirroring that of the woman they were flanking. As for Yuuko, she was leaning nonchalantly against a wall, Mokona perched on her shoulder.

"Eighteen minutes twenty-three seconds five tenths." She recited in one breath.

"I'm sorry." He hastily explained. "The teacher wouldn't listen… He was dead set on finishing the lesson before…"

"Huh?" He stopped in his track and stared at her, mouth slightly agape. She had dashed forward and was bending at the waist, her nose a mere centimeters from his neck.

"That pretty muffler gives off a remarkable scent." She sniffed pensively. "Jasmine, almond… vanilla…"

A smug smile, foreshadowing what was to come, snuck across her face.

"I would recognize that lovely perfume from a mile away. You walked Himawari-chan home, didn't you? And since you had forgotten your scarf, she kindly let you borrow one of hers."

He felt like his eyes were going to pop out of their sockets.

"H-how…?"

"That is just how strong the power of a magical nose is." She declared triumphantly, poking at **his** own nose and grinning like a cat that got the cream.

Meanwhile Watanuki had recovered from his emotions and collected his wits. He knew two things for sure. Firstly, not even Sherlock Homes- or Ichihara Yuuko, for that matter- could have deduced so much from a simple smell. In other words, the witch had once more been spying on him, using one or the other of her dubious methods. Secondly, if past experience was of any indication, his harmless attempt at fooling Yuuko would not remain without consequences.

Already a sulky face had replaced the smile she wore a second ago.

"Your being late couldn't have come at a worst time." She whined. "I fell victim to a terrible craving this afternoon and languished for hours while you were out playing knight in shining armor."

His mild concern gave way to a mixture of incredulity and indignation.

"So this whole thing is yet again about satisfying your selfish desires." He sighed deeply. "What is it this time?" He asked resignedly.

"I **need** chocolate fondue." She pouted.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me. This is the condition for my forgiveness. I demand chocolate fondue."

"Chocolate fondue!" Maru parroted.

"Chocolate fondue!" Moro echoed.

"We demand chocolate fondue!" Mokona beamed.

"But why?"

"It's snowing. The sky is cloudy and a chilly wind is blowing… Moreover, you came in late and lied about it. You are in dire need for a way to make it up to me. All conditions are reunited!"

"Except that there isn't a single piece of chocolate left in this house, Ichihara Yuuko-san. You and your pet gobbled it all up at breakfast yesterday."

"Mokona isn't a pet, Mokona is Mokona!"

"That is what stores are for, my dear Watanuki. You will buy chocolate, lots of chocolate… And also fruit, lots of fruit! Apples, bananas, and oranges…"

"And pineapple!" Mokona squealed.

"Pineapple." She dictated.

"And kiwis!"

"Yes, kiwis."

"And dates!"

"Dates can't hurt either. And also… strawberries." She added as an afterthought.

"Strawberries! You must be kidding! We are in the middle of winter, Yuuko-san!"

"Don't forget the marshmallows too. And don't dawdle."

"You never ever listen."

"Oh, and I almost forgot. Naturally, you must buy a fondue set as we don't have one. "

"Is that really necessary?" He grouched. "Any old pot would do just as well."

"It is. Now, shoo!"

Yet, predictably, Watanuki had barely taken a step away that Yuuko grasped the collar of his shirt, pulling him backward roughly. She shoved a paper into his hand.

"Here. Those are instructions to help you find **The** Fondue Set of Our **Dreams**."

* * *

><p>For the entire duration of the shopping chore, Watanuki inwardly complained his heart out. Yuuko could be so capricious, really. Once more, she was behaving like a spoilt three-year old and he was getting tired of running around at her every whim. The mall was crowded with holiday shoppers and he got caught up into a never-ending line at the checkout. He arrived at Yuuko's place two hours later, out of breath and staggering under the weight of tons of newly-purchased groceries, as well as a most cumbersome box.<p>

"Here it is." He grumbled, and dropped the box at her feet. "Extra-large, as you requested; purple with pink dots, like you wished… I had the hardest time finding this thing!"

"Oh my! You truly are the best."

She winked playfully and he leapt aside, just in time to avoid getting his hair ruffled. He could do just fine without that kind of gratitude, thank you.

"I'll be in the kitchen." He muttered and fled without further ado.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Part Two- To Taste<strong>_

"Ooooh Watanuki, that is **so** good." She moaned, her cheeks tinged with a delicate pink.

"That good, eh." He muttered, more to himself than to her. In spite of their frequency, Yuuko's loud appreciations of his cooking never ceased to amaze him.

There was no denying that he was flattered, although he didn't understand how a mere chocolate-coated piece of fruit could warrant such enthusiasm. He watched as the two gluttons stuffed themselves with food, noticing the supplies decreasing at a heart-wrenching rhythm. Yuuko made to reach for the last strawberry, but against all expectations Mokona was faster and snatched it in a swift movement.

"Watanuki, more." The little creature commanded in order to put an end to the frustrated witch's threats and complaints.

But there was not a single scrap left to dip in the fondue. The terrible announcement elicited a squeak of protest from the fur ball.

"Then Mokona will just have to use its paws instead."

Upon hearing of the sinister fate that was to befall his precious fondue, the cook screamed out in horror, jumping and grabbing the blasphemer.

"Don't you dare! That is completely… unhygienic."

Unfortunately for him, the black mokona slipped from his hands, bouncing around and landing on the table.

It happened in the blink of an eye. Watanuki, who was determined to protect his master piece, grasped Mokona. Mokona, which was equally determined to eat said master piece, grasped the edge of the pot. A small tug later and a flood of chocolate gushed out, spilling all over the boy's clothing.

He let out a stream of curse- The liquid had tainted his white apron, trickled down his hands, splashed over his face. It didn't help anything that Mokona suddenly burst out laughing, rolling with uncontrollable hilarity at the sight of the young chocolate-soaked employee.

Gritting his teeth in irritation, he briskly grabbed a nearby dish towel, with the intention of wiping his smeared face. However, the cloth never reached its intended destination. Halfway up, someone grabbed hold of his wrist.

"Yuuko-san?"

He had nearly forgotten her presence. Usually, his numerous misadventures were greeted by uncompassionate comments, mocking advice or any other of her trademark taunts, but not this time.

She had moved without a sound and was standing just a little too close, staring at him in a strange way. His discomfort was growing stronger and stronger by the seconds, yet just like a deer caught in the headlights, he couldn't find it in himself to pull back.

Gently, Yuuko took his chin between her fingers, bringing his faces near hers. A mischievous smile spread over her lips and invaded her eyes, having them sparkle with a glint all too familiar to him. A glint of… **hunger**? Suddenly he understood what was on her twisted mind…

"N-No." He protested feebly.

Too late. The next moment he felt something warm and moist and soft on his face. She had brought her mouth to his cheek and flicked her tongue over it to gather the chocolate on his skin.

He let out a gasp as she lapped the curve of his lips, impudently tasting him like he was just another of those sweet strawberries she liked so much.

She caught each drop of chocolate, she sucked each of his fingers clean and all the while, he remained rooted on the spot, heart thumping wildly, unable to do anything but stare breathlessly at his beautiful employer.

Then it was over and she released her hold on the shaking Watanuki, backing off and licking her lips delightedly.

"Looks like **I** got the best treat, after all."


	9. Sacrifice

**A.N: SPOILERS about Watanuki's childhood. Sorry for letting this gather dust for so long... Yes, it's been six months and I've only got to write _that. _And I'm not satisfied with it either. **

* * *

><p><strong>Sacrifice<strong>_**  
>Part One- Last Memory<strong>_

The child was winding his way through the maze of streets, streets he knew by heart and yet whose present foreignness chilled him to the bone. Tears were flowing down his cheeks, dripping down his chin as he whispered the name of the one person who could help him.

He looked very young, a skinny boy with wide eyes, but those eyes were dark windows, too earnest to belong to someone his age. Instead of reflecting juvenile emotions, they were filled with a determination no normal child could have felt.

Guided by the prompting call that resounded inside his head, he walked to her as in a trance, and out of the shadows she emerged to meet him. Slowly, the steely voice enunciated the condition of the deal, one by one.

"_You won't recall who you are and you won't remember the people whom you care about… You won't even remember __**him**__, who is the reason for your sacrifice, or that you even made such a sacrifice for his sake."_

The red eyes didn't blink once as she waited for him to give his answer.

No one but a creation, a being crafted for that sole purpose, would have been willing to go that far. The unbalanced souls only are ready to damage themselves beyond repair without a shred of hesitation.

"_I must protect him no matter the cost. I will give whatever you request from me."_

The boy stared hard into the eyes of the woman that faced him. His jaw clenched as she stretched a lazy hand towards him, palm facing upward. The tip of her fingers stopped a mere centimeters from his chest, right by the place where his wild heart beat. She was about to do something, something that could never be mended. Suddenly, he felt very scared- It was the last time he would ever be able to remember his parents' faces. In fact, it was the last time he would ever be able to remember anyone's face.

The surrounding air was getting unnaturally cold; he could feel it through the insignificant protection of his shirt, piercing the fabric and scorching his burning skin. Then, smooth as a caress of silk, a dark veil fell over him, obscuring his vision. Slowly, he blinked it away.

There was a woman towering over him- a woman whose eyes were burning like hot coal in the semi-darkness, whose pallor made her look like some ghostly apparition.

He looked at her in incomprehension and fear, looked at his own hands that were clenched around her forearms- that were after all very much real. She pulled away, and he could see that she held something in her white fingers, something that shone vividly at him. Instinctively, he reached out to catch the bright sphere, but she closed her fist and his hopeful fingers tightened around nothing but thin air. For a split second, he watched her without understanding. He saw the painted lips move but couldn't hear anything and the red of her irises was already blurring away, swallowed by white fog.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Part two- Lost Memory<strong>_

"For the sake of what is to come…"

She caught the boy in her arms as he collapsed, the reflexes she had acquired over time giving her a sense of grace even as she lowered his frail body to the ground. Exerting compensation essentially amounted to inflicting harm upon her clients and she was far from unused to the occurrence of such blackouts. She took in the blank expression, the blue orbs that looked without seeing.

_A slate wiped clean. Literally speaking._

As she withdrew, she skimmed a delicate hand over his eyes, drawing them closed. It was no use wasting time feeling sorry for him, like always…She could have laughed and cried at the bitter irony of the whole situation. Instead, she merely focused, taking a step backwards and conjuring up her magical circle around them both.

In the short time they had known each other, she had done what she could- and sadly, it hadn't amounted to much- to spare him as many sufferings as possible. Conscious of his inherent instability, of the fragility of his artificial existence, she had nevertheless wanted him to be as happy as possible. She supposed that, in a sense, she had failed.

**He will bring nothing but unhappiness to those around him.**

Like his other selves, he was destined to many hardships. However, the witch couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness at the turn things had taken. Due to the price of his wish, the child would remember none of the happiness he had experienced, thus giving Fei-Wong's malediction a whole new hold on him. Those accursed words would be engraved in his heart forever.

"To guard you from evil influences, your parents gave you this name. You've already earned the right to keep it... Until we meet again, good luck, Watanuki Kimihiro."

The runes and symbols glistened brightly as the frame of the boy slowly dissolved into thin air, leaving a dust of golden specks behind.


End file.
